Not so bad for me this year for some reason.

I use Garmin, mostly get to where I intend.

Traffic info is pretty good and we talk to each other.

Happy to stick with it.

I beg to differ .. £4Bn is significant

Well I mean my contribution – similar to what I give the NT – both doing great things and give me some entertainment.

but they still get the license money ….

Maybe they wouldn’t be able to justify so much – or any – if viewing figures are down. The BBC could well disappear if they’re not interested in viewing figures – why should they pay for sports rights and to show expensive TV programs made abroad?

I don’t really care what they do as not much money involved really – though I do watch some of their output.

BTW, my bit about footballers was to compare clubs paying for top players v TV companies paying for top presenters.

The BBC feel they exist in a competitive environment and want to attract TV stars to enable them to compete with the other main channels – they’ll look bad if their share of TV viewers is too low and justifying the amount given to them from the TV license becomes harder.

This idea of talent is a tricky one. Clearly footballers exist in a competitive environment and the best will attract lots of money as they’re deemed to be worth so much to certain clubs – image rights, attracting supporters and sponsors, TV money….

TV companies know that the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton attract lots of viewers and build TV shows around them – they heavily influence the size of TV audiences. TV companies will pay lots of money for these people in the same way football clubs do for players. Going down the salary list less people will watch a show just because, say, Nick Knowles, is involved; perhaps they love his property renovation show but do they watch a TV quiz as he’s the presenter? Maybe they do or maybe in order to keep Nick working for the BBC they give him more money and get him to do other stuff to justify?

As for women v men salaries – well that’s the price of being ‘talent’. You’re a commodity not a person and benefit greatly from that – just men do better for some reason. Some may not like them but Chris Evans and Jonathan Ross have something pretty rare and I can’t name a woman who can compete.

Make a feature of it by putting one in the same place on the other-side.

Different people will take it in different ways so could be a risk.

I did something sort of similar once though when wanting funding for an MSc. After meeting the decision makers I wrote to them showing how interested I was in the course including asking for background reading to help prepare for the course. I got the funding so maybe it helped.

Wondering on the economics of the various shaving methods. I suspect a decent electronic shaver is cheaper over time than some of the disposable razors. Old style razor blades might be the cheapest option though?

JY – that is not a valid response.

Ridiculous organisations, the sooner we get rid of their archaic influence in our country the better.

What changes should be made?

I used a cheap one when I was younger coz I was poor, then when people paid me money for things I decided to try one of those expensive Braun ones that has a washing thing – end of line so not so expensive to me. Huge difference in resulting facial smoothness. That lasted 12 years then got a more recent Braun one, ignoring the option of a washing thing as seems pointless, paid £63 for a Braun 5030 which has done me well for a couple of years now.

Yeah, but 6 days off a week, it’s not a bad gig.

My Dad had Tuesdays off, was tricky persuading people not to contact him then though so it was like he was on call….

lots of LGBT stuff I presume

Interestingly they’re getting really into that side of things – realizing their failings of the past perhaps?

McHamish’s comments on the Catholic church amaze me, I’d be going straight to the Priest and seeing what his opinion is.

Most churches IME make it clear that visitors needn’t worry about putting money in the plate, may regulars to standing order so no-one’s gonna judge you. For those that feel they are part of their church they do a lot more than just attend on Sundays and it’s really the focus of their life so contributing significant somes feels fine for them.

My Dad’s a retired vicar and now goes on short missions to eastern Europe mostly using my inheritance to fund…they’re a funny lot these Christians ;)

He was friends with an old boy in my road club and gave him a WC jersey which he passed on to Wiggins when he won the Tour.

Insurance co’s went knock for knock.

FWIW this isn’t the correct term. Knock for knock is how insurance companies deal with payment of claims and nothing to do with liability.

Nearly happened to me on a roundabout when a bus indicated to go off but didn’t – luckily it stopped as I pulled out as doubt I’d have got anywhere with insurance.

If your kids are young consider having it start off as a sort of sunken paddling pool then add a little water each year as they grow.

Or this

To be fair, IBLs and SBLs are in the loft.

That just isn’t right.

I’ve had my Kef 104/2s for 20 years – the amp and CD has been changed a number of times. Thinking of changing now though – to something from Kudos maybe

Am I the only one fully expecting letsbefrank to post in an hours time to tell us he’s found it in his back pocket?

Um…I once lost mine and managed to get a new one 2 days before my trip to the US. As I sorted out my packing I went into a walk in cupboard and knocked a box resulting in my old one falling off the top and onto my head. I then remembered that this safe place I’d found for it….

I do really feel for early years teachers who have young kids crying after falling over/missing mum/whatever, and they are “not allowed” to offer them a simple reassuring cuddle to fix it.

My son’s teachers would hug the kids – not sure at what age that went on to.

I wonder about naked but think kissing my son on the lips odd – have never kissed a bloke in that way. Never kissed my sister on the lips either – maybe I’ll try that next time I see her and get some to record the results.

I’ve had dinner with both Jonathan Aitken and Perry McCarthy (1st Stig) had good chats with both.

Waiting for a late running Gatwick Express with William Hague after he was leader of the Tories – I vaguely chatted with him but he was more interested in his copy of The Economist. When the train came I started to follow him into First Class but thought better of it fortunately.

My mortgage advisor spreadsheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cLH5NU8s4ghbiB7wlc_a1obAcjXdY59TZuW5jhStqjc/edit?usp=sharing

I took my 6 year old to watch the London-Surrey classic last year and he loved it – helped that we were on a climb that they went up 3 times and Geraint, my son’s favourite rider, was trying to bridge a gap on his own so easy to spot.

Got to ride a bit of gisburn with Steve peat and Hans rey earlier this year.

No Way!

Luckily I swapped out Valverdi last minute – for Izagirre unfortunately!

Captain Beefheart Unconditionally Guaranteed – Peaches

AC/DC Both Highway to Hell (Title track) and Back in Black (Hells Bells).

Is this out yet?

http://pegasusbridgethemovie.com/

The downside to gravity

I’d probably avoid Mont Saint Michel though. It’s like Euro Disney without rides, but with an extra helping of surly, Parisien-style waiters and shopkeepers.

It’s an amazing place!

Yes also plenty of other stuff around the town to visit – and lots more around the Cotentin Peninsula.

Cherbourg itself is also very nice

Really? Didn’t like the town much when I stayed there one night so went off to Barfleur which is lovely.

I imagine some of those Nottingham 1 bedders aren’t doing so well.

I’m debt free and could probably stop working, certainly if I moved to a cheaper area/downsized, but I like where I live, and would get bored anyway, so carry on whilst I can still earn a decent amount.

Always wear short sleeve in summer as I overheat so easily and think the oxford weave ones I wear look fine…maybe as I’m slim as think tubby people don’t look so good in them but I don’t judge them for it…!

What a lot of people don’t understand is the concepts of Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return – maybe makes this compounding interest thing clear. Once understood the decision of when to borrow to get something early becomes far easier. If taken to an extreme though you’d never buy anything except essentials as you’d see how much not spending £2k on a bike now would impact you in, say, 30 years time when you retire.

Throw them into the neighbour’s garden seems to be a common method of dealing with them.

Or do what Gordon does

The Barnett formula is said to have “no legal standing or democratic justification”,[3] and, being merely a convention, could be changed at will by the Treasury.

If you didn’t go to private school and you buying/bought your home with borrowed money, you are not middle class.

These are not good indicators.

I’ve got a brand new one of them.. . . and I’ll give you the key

Please don’t make a song and dance about it.

Yep though in the US it’s all about the money….